Devendra Kumar
Microsoft is upgrading its cloud computing service to store all personal data within the European Union, abandoning the practice of transferring data to the US where national privacy laws do not exist. This move applies to a range of services, including Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365, according to the Seattle-based technology company. Cloud computing businesses are adapting to the European Union’s strict data privacy laws, as Brussels and Washington have long struggled to agree on the safety of data stored in the US. The controversy began after Edward Snowden’s revelations of the American government’s secret surveillance of online data and communications.
Microsoft’s “EU Data Boundary solution goes beyond European compliance requirements,” the company said. In the past, Microsoft had assured customers that their data would not be moved outside the EU. The company had initially started storing and processing some data in Europe, and now it is expanding this policy to all personal data, including pseudonymized data generated by automated system logs.
Later this year, Microsoft plans to ensure that technical support data remains within Europe, and it will also offer a paid option for initial technical support responses from within the EU. This move is part of the company’s efforts to address the EU’s strict regulations and meet the requirements of its customers. Amazon had previously taken a similar step, rolling out independent cloud infrastructure for the EU to address the same regulatory challenges.
Microsoft’s decision is a significant step in accommodating the European Union’s data privacy regulations, which have been growing stricter in recent years. The company’s upgrade is aimed at strengthening trust between Microsoft and its European customers, who have been increasingly concerned about the security of their data. By keeping all personal data within the EU, Microsoft is demonstrating its commitment to protecting the privacy rights of its customers, a move that could help the company gain a competitive edge in the cloud computing market.